Pacific Northwest - WA tour in May -- recommendations

I am considering a loaded tour around WA in late May. I'll be leaving from Spokane and hopefully doing a big loop around the whole state.

Right now my rough idea is to head north, then west along highway 20, take a ferry to the peninsula, check out the coast, then head back east across a more southern road. I am open to any recommendations, just came up with this after looking at a map for a bit. Right now I'm very flexible and would be willing to check out the surrounding areas (Idaho, Oregon, BC) if there is a nice route -- it's all new to me. My main concern is what conditions will be like this time of year.

Should I have any problems crossing the cascades or other passes due to snow? I'm not shy of the cold, but am not fond of riding in rain, so I'm also curious how much rain I should expect in May in the region.

Have a look here

http://capitalbicycleclub.org/links/

May can have lots of rain, but it's hard to plan for. You could have 4 days of clear followed by a couple days of downpour. By default, plan on riding in the rain.
"There's no such thing as a bad ride, only lack of preparation."

For the eastbound stretch, there's various ways to go across southern Washington or northern Oregon. You can follow this route from Adventure Cycling:
http://www.adventurecycling.org/routes/lewisandclark.cfm

Right now my rough idea is to head north, then west along highway 20, take a ferry to the peninsula, check out the coast, then head back east across a more southern road...My main concern is what conditions will be like this time of year. Should I have any problems crossing the cascades or other passes due to snow? I'm not shy of the cold, but am not fond of riding in rain, so I'm also curious how much rain I should expect in May in the region.

Route 20/North Cascades Highway is definitely a beautiful route; we rode in last June. It also is part of Adventure Cycling's Northern Tier Route: http://adventurecycling.org/routes/northerntier.cfm
There are several high passes to cross, like Sherman, Wauconda, Loup Loup, Washington, and Rainy. There is the strong likelihood that you will see snow at/near all these passes in May.

The biggest hurdle to this plan is the status of Washington/Rainy Passes on 20, the Cascade passes in North Cascades National Park. WSDOT closes the road here during the winter because of heavy snow and avalanche danger. http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/passes/northcascades/
Currently it's closed. They're hoping to get it open during the first week of May since snow this year has been light in the Cascades. However, if it really starts snowing again (which it can) the opening date can get pushed back. Last year it opened right before Memorial Day on May 25, which was the second latest opening of the highway. So depending on when you're travelling in May, this could be an issue.

As for weather, May can be really beautiful or it can be wetter than you want it. I'd say you'll hit some rain no matter when you'll be riding during the month. Be prepared for it.

I'd head north and join the Northern Tier route. Take it west - it's beautiful! Before you get to Anacortes turn left and ride across Deception Pass. From there if you want to visit Seattle ride down the spine of Whidbey Island. Take the ferry across to Mukilteo and ride south into Seattle. It's a great city and pretty bike-friendly. Or you could ride down Whidbey Island until you get to the turn to Fort Casey/Port Townsend. Take the ferry across and ride down the west side of the sound.

Getting back to Spokane is a little more problematic. Riding up the Columbia Gorge is beautiful (check out the Lewis and Clark route), but once you get to easter Washington it would be a long haul over boring country to Spokane. Maybe head north on the Sierra Cascades route? Maybe ride into Idaho and find a scenic route up to Sandpoint, and head east back to Spokane? I'm out of my element because I've never ridden north/south in this part of the state.

I'd skip the coast and tour the Cascades. SR 20 is one of the more beautiful roads around, and you could double back toward Mt Baker somewhere around Concrete.

I'm not sure where adventurepdx is getting his info but the recent snowfall numbers are quite staggering, akin to last years numbers. http://www.mtbaker.us/1011/snow_report/

If it were me I would reassess in early May. If the North ascades is still closed you could still shoot past Usk, over the Mt. through Kettle Falls, then west along 20 until you get to Twisp, then down the river to the mighty Columbia and on to Wenatchee. West over Stevens, cross to Whidbey, ferry again to Port Townsend, then down 101 to the Columbia again. To get back to Spokane either follow the Columbia, then the Clearwater and then North along 95 in Idaho, or up 395/17 Tri Cities to Ritzville. Expect as others have wrote to be riding in rain and possibly snow with some days of wind. In May Central and Eastern Washington has a wide variety of ecosystems at different stages all at the same time. The southern basin is a solid month ahead in the growing season than northern parts of the basin. The changes at bicycle speeds will be subtle, however also remarkable at the same time. Good luck and be sure to take a camera so you can share your trip once you get back.

An alternative would be over 12 through Yakima then either up 821 through Ellensburg or across 24 across Vernita and through Othello, or even down 82 through TriCities. Lots of different routes to ponder. Kinda wish I could take a month off to do this.

I'm not sure where adventurepdx is getting his info but the recent snowfall numbers are quite staggering, akin to last years numbers. http://www.mtbaker.us/1011/snow_report/

I was going with the info provided in the link I provided, which is the official page for North Cascades Hwy/Route 20 from the Washington State Dept. of Transportation.
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/passes/northcascades/
From the website:

March 2012

Pass status: CLOSED

We trekked up the North Cascades Highway on snowmobiles and a snow cat to check snow and avalanche conditions on Wednesday, March 7.

Pictures from the scouting trip are posted on Flickr and Pinterest.

Crews found snow depths to be lower than last year.

While we can't start work until the avalanche threat at Stevens Pass diminishes, we're tentatively planning to start the spring clearing the last week of March and are hopeful of opening the first week in May.

Since it says they went up there on March 7, so the last couple weeks of snow could change the picture about re-opening time.

Dot projections for me have always been suspect at best. They seem to be right about as often as a broken watch. Always best to check a variety of sources.

I'd skip the coast. I've toured it with my girlfriend and it's depressing. Would be fun to go through Port Townsend and down the canal from Anacortes. You can down past olympia and cut over at some point. PORT TOWNSEND is AMAZING. I live here and I'd love to have you stay. Check out the non-profit bike shop ReCyclery at ptrecyclery.com. Peace, C

I was going with the info provided in the link I provided, which is the official page for North Cascades Hwy/Route 20 from the Washington State Dept. of Transportation.
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/passes/northcascades/

Here's a thread (http://www.nwhikers.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7996847) where they're betting on when SR 20 will re-open.

Here's a thread (http://www.nwhikers.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7996847) where they're betting on when SR 20 will re-open.

Yup, Scouter John in that thread makes a great point. I'll stick with my guess of late May, early June at earliest, depending on spring, cool wet spring means open late, fast warm up spring with sustained high temps might help to get it open early.

My experience was last summer going from west to east. I was supported however by my daughter driving the minivan for car camping. For sure you cannot miss Hwy 20.

I'd plan 2 trips depending on Hwy 20 (N. Cascades) opening and weather. Plan A would be a route starting out south and east, returning to Spokane via hwy 20. Plan B would be taking in Hwy 20 west to east before summer traffic increased.

I rode Mt Vernon to Concrete to Winthrop, Nespelem, then across the Colville Reservation to Inchelium/Gifford, then to Spokane. Later in summer means better chance of dry.

An update of sorts: WSDOT is still predicting an early May opening of the North Cascades Pass. http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/passes/northcascades

I however am skeptical with the snow report form Mt. Baker. That said these folks that work Hwy 20 are not exactly new at this so they may be right. As of Friday they still have 33.6 miles to clear multiple lanes wide. There also needs to be no more avalance danger to make that. I'm thinking that we are in for more spring storms.

Getting back to Spokane is a little more problematic. Riding up the Columbia Gorge is beautiful (check out the Lewis and Clark route), but once you get to easter Washington it would be a long haul over boring country to Spokane. Maybe head north on the Sierra Cascades route? Maybe ride into Idaho and find a scenic route up to Sandpoint, and head east back to Spokane? I'm out of my element because I've never ridden north/south in this part of the state.

If you can get to Lewiston/Clarkston I'd look into following the river and up Wawawai grade to get to Pullman, then follow any route other than Hwy 195 up to Spokane. That stretch of the road along the river is as smooth as glass and a very welcome relief from the chip seal that is everywhere else. After Pullman, look at heading through some of the smaller towns like Palouse, Garfield, etc. for some change in the scenery and to get away from a lot of the heading to Spokane traffic. That's if you want to stay in WA.

If you want to branch out into Idaho I'd look at heading from Lewiston/Clarkston to Kendrick. Then heading to Deary (I know by way of Troy is ok, never heard about Hwy 3) then through the St. Joe National Forest to St. Maries. From there you might look at following Hwy 97 along Couer d'Alene Lake. Basically anything other than 95 (too much traffic for my tastes).

I haven't ridden some of these roads, but if I were to ride from here north these are the routes I'd look into taking. So basically take this advice with a grain of salt.